Puzzle.



A. P. SIMAO.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED ran 10. 1914.

1 9 1 54, 1 36 Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

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UNTTED TATE PATENT FFTQE.

ANTONIO P. SIIVIAO, OF LOWELL, MASSAC HUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-SEVENTH RAMON RODRIGUEC, ONE-SEVENTH TO FILICISSIMO G. SILVA, ONE-SEVENTH EVARISTO L. ROSA, ONE SEVENTH TO CARROLL L. PINGREE, AND TXVO SEVENTI-IS TO MANOEL E. MELLO, ALL OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

PUZZLE.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, -ANTONIO P. Smrao, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has for an object to effect to add to the complexity of such devices as those illustrated in the Patents Numbered 876,820 and 993,456, and aims also to introduce new elements of interest and dexterity in the solution of such a puzzle.

It is a particular aim to so contrive the device that it may be rationally manipulated without the movement of the marble being visible, thus obviating the use of glass and making a cheaper and more durable device.

It is an important purpose to enable the use of an ordinary tin can for the housing of the puzzle.

Additional objects and advantages and features of invention will appear, some of which will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the puzzle. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof. Fig. 1, is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification, Fig. 5, is a cross section thereof.

There is illustrated a can body 10 comprising a. bottom 11 and circular wall 12 preferably of metal which may be produced in any customary manner followed in the can making art, and the can is provided with a top or cover 13 which may be permanently or removably engaged thereon in the customary way. Preferably, it is secured permanently, and in this case before it is fixed in place a cylindrical member 1 1 much less in diameter, is fixed thereto or to the bottom of the can, in the present case being concentric with the can and being formed of soft wood felt, or other sound absorbent material, the cylinder 14: may be formed of metal covered with sound absorbent material if desired. It is believed preferable for the purpose, however, that it be formed of soft wood as being cheaper to form and more easily put in place. The can has been usually made about three Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 21, 15-115.

Serial No. 817,906.

inches in diameter, in practice, and the cylinder 11 is formed with an inside diameter of about one-half an inch. The top of the can is provided with a central opening 15 registered with the bore of the cylinder 1%. At the end opposite the opening 15, the cylinder 1 1 is provided with a lateral opening 116 equaling in width the bore of the cylincer.

A. marble or other spherical member 17 is provided, somewhat less in diameter than the bore of the cylinder and adapted for free movement therein, and through the opening 16 into the space 18 between the cylinder 14- and the sides of the can 10. The marble is to be dropped through the opening 15 into the cylinder and the device shaken until the marble passes from the cylinder into the can, the endeavor then being to induce the marble to return to the cylinder and. roll through the opening 15. The principal puzzling feature in the device is the fact that the player cannot see, and is not supposed to see, the opening 16, and therefore does not know what its location is, either as to its longitudinal position in the can, or on what radius of the cylinder 14. He may suppose, too, that there are complicated passages in the device instead of the simple arrangement existing, and make ludicrous movements hoping to strike upon the lucky combination of movements necessary.

The sound of the marble striking the wall 12 will be easily heard, but its impact against the cylinder 14 will be noiseless, so that it will puzzle the player to know when the sphere is against or within the cylinder 14, making location of the opening 16 more difficult.

In order to facilitate the movement of the marble from the cylinder through the opening 16 when dropped into the can, the inner end of the cylinder 1d may be closed by a plug 19 having a transversely inclined inner face 20 sloped toward the opening 16, whereby, when the marble is dropped through the cylinder, it will be immediately fended into the space 18, striking the bottom of the can, and tending to make any but an acute observer believe it had dropped straight to the bottom or nearly so. This will prevent discovery of the direction of the opening 16, by the player noting Whether the sphere fails to roll against the Wall 12 immediately if. the can is inclined in certain directions. The device may also be further complicated by the provision of a concentric baffle 21 in the form of a flange on the bottom of the can, formed in any suitable Way, being concentric with the cylinder and spaced sufficiently therefrom to permit the movement of the marble between the flange and cylinder. There should also be aliberal space outwardly of the flange for movement of the marble between that and the sides of the can 10.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a circular bottom and top, a sheet metal .cylindrical outer side portion therearound, the top having an opening therethrough, and a sound-absorbent cylindrical member concentric With the opening and having a lateral opening Within the device.

A puzzle of the class described, com- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

prising an opaque receptacle having an apertured end, a cylindrical member carried by said end in registry with the opening, having a transversely inclined inner termination, and having a lateral opening in the direction of said inclination, for the purpose described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a cylindrical can element having an apertured end and a cylindrical member leading therefrom, having a lateral outlet at its inner part, and a circular battle membcr carried by the end of the can opposite said open end, spaced between the Wall of the can and said cylindrical member.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my hand in presence of tWO subscribing witnesscs.

ANTONIO P. SIMAO.

Witnesses:

Eviuus'ro L. Rosa, CARROLL L. PINGREE.

Washington, D. C. 

